1. EPISCOPAL ADDRESS to the Central Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church June 4, 2012 Bishop Mike Lowry ©

3. EPISCOPAL ADDRESS to the Central Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church June 4, 2012 Bishop Mike Lowry ©

6. “The adaptive challenge for The United Methodist Church is: To redirect the flow of attention, energy, and resources to an intense concentration on fostering and sustaining an increase in the number of vital congregations effective in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

7. Central Texas Conference

8. What We’ve Learned 1.The Cluster Group model doesn’t work 2.Healthy Church Initiative and Small Church Initiative (PLD, LLD) 3.Partners in Ministry 4.Coalition of the Willing 5.Strategic Focus 6.Experimentation in parenting, multi-site cooperative parish, etc. 7.Leadership Development 8.District Superintendents as mission strategists and mission field appointments 9.Recruitment of a new generation of clergy and lay leadership

9. Remember the Future 1.The top of page 31: “How does God’s grace break though.” Middle of p. 32: “If your church has not experience such a change, what do you think it will take?”

10. Remember the Future 1.The top of page 31: “How does God’s grace break though.” Middle of p. 32: “If your church has not experience such a change, what do you think it will take?” 2.Now turn to page 39 and read the second full paragraph. Then flip to the bottom of page 41 and the top of page 42.

11. Remember the Future 1.The top of page 31: “How does God’s grace break though.” Middle of p. 32: “If your church has not experience such a change, what do you think it will take?” 2.Now turn to page 39 and read the second full paragraph. Then flip to the bottom of page 41 and the top of page 42. 3.One last exercise; flip to page 97.